Stormcock (album)

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Stormcock
Studio album by Roy Harper
Released	1971
Recorded	England
Genre	Folk
Length	41:25
Label	Harvest SHVL 789, Science Friction HUCD004 (Current release)
Producer	Peter Jenner
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Roy Harper chronology
Flat Baroque and Berserk (1970) Stormcock (1971) Lifemask (1973)

Stormcock is a 1971 album by Roy Harper, commonly acknowledged to be his "best record". ^[1]

The album's title, Stormcock, is an old English name for the Mistle Thrush. The male of this species "...sings its loud melodious song from a tree, rooftop or other elevated perch, often during bad weather or at night" ^[2], perhaps a perfect metaphor for Harper himself. Harper has an appreciation of birdlife and has made reference to many birds on his albums.

The album features four extended songs which showcase Harpers talents, both as songwriter and guitarist. But, perhaps most significantly, "..Stormcock...epitomized a hybrid genre that had no exclusive purveyors save Harper — epic progressive acoustic." ^[3].

The album credits "S. Flavius Mercurius" for the lead guitar on "The Same Old Rock". The guitarist, better known as Jimmy Page, was unnamed within the album credits until the 2007 remastered re-release for contractual reasons.

Johnny Marr, guitarist with The Smiths, is on record stating that "Stormcock" was "intense and beautiful and clever" ^[4].

Stormcock was an inspiration to Californian harpist Joanna Newsom, greatly influencing her second album Ys.

Contents 1 Track listing 2 Personnel 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Track listing

1. "Hors d'Oeuvres" – 8:37
2. "The Same Old Rock" – 12:24
3. "One Man Rock and Roll Band" – 7:23
4. "Me and My Woman" – 13:01

[edit] Personnel

• Roy Harper - Guitar and vocals
• S. Flavius Mercurius - Guitar
• Peter Jenner - Producer
• John Barrett - Sound Engineer
• Peter Bown - Sound Engineer
• John Leckie - Sound Engineer
• Phil McDonald - Sound Engineer
• Alan Parsons - Sound Engineer
• Nick Webb - Sound Engineer
• Richard Imrie - Photography

[edit] References

1. ^ Link to opinion about Harpers 'best record'
2. ^ Wiki link to Mistle Thrush
3. ^ AMG review
4. ^ Arts Guardian

[edit] External links

• Roy Harper Official Site
• Excellent Roy Harper resource
• The Stormcock Community fan site

v • d • e Roy Harper Studio albums Come out Fighting Ghengis Smith · Sophisticated Beggar · Folkjokeopus · Flat Baroque and Berserk  · Stormcock · Lifemask · Valentine · HQ · Bullinamingvase  · The Unknown Soldier · Work of Heart · Born in Captivity · Descendants of Smith · Loony on the Bus · Once · Death or Glory? · Commercial Breaks · The Dream Society · Garden of Uranium · The Green Man Live albums Flashes From The Archives Of Oblivion · In Between Every Line · Born in Captivity II · Unhinged · Live At Les Cousins · The BBC Tapes - Volume I (1969 - 1973) · The BBC Tapes - Volume II (In Concert 1974) · The BBC Tapes - Volume III (BBC Sessions 1974) · The BBC Tapes - Volume IV (In Concert 1975) · The BBC Tapes - Volume V (BBC Sessions 1975 - 1978) · The BBC Tapes - Volume VI (In Concert 1978 with Andy Roberts) · Royal Festival Hall Live - June 10th 2001 Compilations, remixes, etc Harper 1970-1975 · Death or Glory? · An Introduction to ..... · Song Of The Ages · Poems, Speeches, Thoughts and Doodles · Hats off · East of the Sun · Today Is Yesterday · Counter Culture · From Occident to Orient Collaborations "Have a Cigar" · Whatever Happened to Jugula? · The Edges of Twilight · "Time" Singles / 12" Singles / EPs "When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease" · "The Death of God" Videography Stonehenge 84 · Live in your Living Room · Once · Beyond the Door Filmography Made · The Song Remains the Same